Weeder



June 9., 1925. 1,540,950

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W. .i RUSLER ET AL WEEDER Filed Feb. s. 1923 s sheets-sheet 2 ammo ly Z J2 IMJ- fzausler www @2% W June 9, 1925. 1 1,540,950

w. J, RAusLl-:R ET AL WEEDER Filed Feb, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented `lune 9, 1925.

UNITED` sTaTE's WILLIAM J. nAUsLnR AND LAMAR c. PUETT, en LovnLAlw,` coLonADo.

Wnnnnn.

Application led February 3, 1923. Serial No; 616,728.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. RAUsLER and LAMAR C. PUETT, citizens of the United States, residing at Loveland, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weeders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings. `This invention relates to improvements in weeders, and more particularly to that type of weeder in which the weeds are separated at or below the surface of the soil.l

An important object of the invention is to provide in a device of this type a fra-me including rigidly mounted cutting blades together with means for tilting the cutting blades to presentthe same to the ground at any desired angle.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the above character wherein the tilting blades are employed and where the frame is bodily tilted to accomplish this tilting of the blades, means whereby the frame may be mounted to permit vertical `adjustment thereof so that the depth of the engagement of the blades may likewise be regulated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character by means of which the weeds may be severed below the surface and leave the surface of the soil in substantially unbroken condition so that the underlying moisture will not be dried out after a weeding operation.

Anv additional obj ect ofthe invention is to provide a machine of this character including a plurality of rigidly mounted blades so constructed. and positioned that they are `in effect a single continuous blade cutting through a continuous path the width of the machine. f

These rand other objects we attain by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustrationis shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings f Figure 1 is a plan view of a weeder constructedin accordance with our invention;-

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken centrally thereof;

Flgure 3 is a perspective of the end of the frame showing the -lift castings and the mounting thereof; v

Figure l is an end elevation illustrating the vertical adjustment of the frame vupon the lift plate;

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the liftplateg' j i j igure 6 is an enlarged view showing the construction of the tilting mechanism; and

'Figure 7 is a detail sectional view showing the engagement of the tilting lever with the hitch frame. y

lReferring now more particularly to the drawings,l the 4numeral 10 indicates a main frame comprising a pair of parallel transversely extending angle bars 11 and 12 held in spaced relation bymeans of blade holders 13 embodying attaching yportions 14 spaced longitudinally of the machine and each secured lto one of the transversely extending bars 11 and 12. The numeral 15 designates lift castings mounted upon the ends of the mainframe 10 and held against rotation` with relation thereto but permitting vertical adjustment of` the. main frame thereon. These lift castings form a mounting for stub axles y16 upon which the supporting wheels 17 of the device are mounted.

Each lift casting 15 comprises a plate in the form of a trapezoichth'e vertical edges thereof being parallel and 'coacting with combined guiding and retaining elements 18 and 19 carried y ends of the transverse frame members 11 and 12 respectively. The guide member 18 is wholly'sup'ported by the frame ymember 11 whereas the guide member 19 Vis secured atjits upper end to the frame member 12 and at its lower end to the next adjacent blade holder 13. The blade holders 13 are provided upon oppositesides thereof with reinforcing ribs 20, and the inner vfaces of the lift castings 15 abutl against the reinforcing ribs upon the adjacent sides of the next adjacent blade holders 13 and against the ends of the-'frame members 11 and 12, thus supplying a three point suspension therefor.

Each lift casting 15 has formed therein an openingv 21, one edge of which kis flanged v and provided with internal gear teeth, as indicated at 22. The blade holders 13 have formed therein aligned openings in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 24, the ends oi which project into the flanged openings oi the lift castings 15 and are there provided with pinions meshing with the rack formed by the teeth 22. VThis shaft isprovided substantially at the center orf the frame with a worm gear 26; lt will be seen that upon rotationr of the worm gear-26 the pinions 25 Will be rotated andlby their engagement with the racks 22 will cause relative vertical movement of the frame 10 and lift casting 15. Since the Vweight of Vthe frame ,10 Vis borne by the Vlitt casting 15 through the wheels 17, the rtrame 10 will be raised or lowered dependent upon the direction of rotation of the shaft.

Each blade holder 13 has formed upon the' lower end thereof Van angularly disposed blade seat 27,k which blade seat is at anangle both to the ground and to the direction of travel of the weeder. The blades 28 which are applied tothese blade seats are of suiicient length that the forward edge of each blade overl-ies theadjacent rearward edge of the next adjacent blade so that a: continual swath is cut by `the blades across the width of the machine.l In applying the blade holders and blades .to the device, right'and lett hand blade-holders will be provided so that the' blades at each side of the machinev i tying the arms and providing a further 'pi-v 'v etai connection between thesame and frame.v The hitch includes a plate 32 adapted to be connected to thehitch memberothe tractor in any desired manner, this plate having secured thereto a rearwardly direted member 33 ormedof an inverted channel iron. A pair of angle bars 34 have their forward ends pivotallyconnected to the member intermediate its ends by `aV bolt 35 extending through the angle bars andthrdugh the lianges of the member 33; the rear ends of these angle bars being rigidly connected to the' members 11 and 12 of the frame 10.

hflounted upon the frame 10. intermediate the angle bars 34 is a segment 36 to which ispivoted a bell crank lever. 37, dne arm 38 of which bears a spring latch 39 of any suitable constructidn Vfor coaction with the segment to hold the lever in adjusted position'.l

structure thereof except The opposite arm of the lever 37 is provided at its end with a cross head 40 operating within the rear end of the channel of the channel iron member 33 and held against downward movement within this channel by izfreans ci stop plates 41 secured to the inner `Faces of the flanges 33a of themember.

lt will be seen that upon adjustment of the lever 37 about its pivot the rearV end of the channel iron member 33 will be elevated or lowered as the case may be and the forward end of the hitchrmember depressed or elevated. Since the hitch member is attached to the drive appliance anda `pull is exerted upon this hitch member, it will follo'w that the frame k1() will have the resulting angular change of position placing the blades 28 at a greater or less angle to the ground as the case may be. Extending upwardly from the plate 32 of the hitch mem# ber is a support42, the upper end of which rotatably receives theztorward end of ashaft 43,* the rear .end ot which Ais mounted in spaced bearings' 44 and 45 rigidly carried by the 'frame 10; Intermediate these hearings the shaft 43 is provided with a Worm 46 mesh-ing with the Worm gear 26-andjprovid ing means whereby this gear and the 'shaft 24 may be rotated' and held in adjusted position.

, From the foregoing it will be seen thatthe frame 1.0 and accordingly the blades 28' may be vertically adjusted or' angularly 4adjusted and-at the same time an extremely simple and durable constructionis provided; It will, of course; be obvious' thatsoine changes andxmodiications in the structure herein:

before set forthfare possible and we accord-'- ingly doA not limit ourselves to the' specific ashereinafter claimed. Y

- We claim n 1'. In a' device of the type' described,` sup'- por'tin'g wheels, plates bearing stubaxles for said supporting wheels,l a Vframe including vertically disposed gi'i'ide members slidably receiving the sides of said plates,- blade holders rigidly connected to said frame mem# bei' Aand having lalig'fn'edapertures vformed therein,v a 'shaft directed through the aper# tures otfthe blade holders and having :its end ef-tending into openingsformed' in `said platesone side wall of the openings Iof the plates being formed to p'roi'ride'arack,l pinL ions carried by the ends of the'sha'ft 'and engaging lthe racks of the platesjA and mea-iis Y tor rotating said shaft and maintaining the same in adjusted position. a

2. In adevice'of the type described; sup'- porting wheels, plates hearing stuhaxles for said supporting wheels; a frame including vertically disposed guide members 4slidz'zbly receiving the sides ot said plates,- blade holders rigidly :connected to 'Said frame member kand having 'aligned apertures ill) lill() formed therein, a shaft directed through the apertures of the blade holders and having its end extending into openings formed in said plates, one side Wall of the openings of the plates being formed to provide a rack, pnions carried by the ends of the shaft and engaging the racks of the plates, and means for rotating said shaft and maintaining the same in adjusted position, including a Worm Wheel secured to said shaft and a worm en- 10 our signatures.

WILLIAM J. RAUSLER. LAMAR C. PUETT. 

